1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to games of chance. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for games of chance of the slot variety.
2. The Prior Art
Various games of chance have been promoted throughout the years with varying degrees of success. One particularly popular game of chance is the slot machine type game. Generally speaking, slot machines include at least three reels, either mechanically operated or depicted on a video screen. Upon activation, the reels spin and stop in a random manner. Symbols depicted on the reels, when arranged according to a pay table, can result in a winning event and a player may receive credits or monetary awards.
Many have attempted to provide greater excitement to the traditional slot game by various means. For instance, slot games had been grouped together on networks to form progressive pools so that greater jackpots could be achieved. Additionally, adding more and more paylines to traditional slot games has been tried with some success in certain jurisdictions to provide greater player entertainment. Further, certain bonus games dependent on the primary reel game have been touted with both limited and greater success. However, such bonus games are typically confusing and complicated for the player.
A continuing need exists to provide ever more exciting slot games that are both simple for the player to understand and exciting for the player to play.
To overcome these and other shortcomings of the prior art, disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for playing a slot game which includes a matrix game that is triggered by the slot game. More particularly, the present invention depicts a reel slot game and a matrix, wherein the elements of the matrix are made active by results on the reels. When the elements of the matrix combine according to a pay table, one or more awards may be credited or paid to a player in addition to awards determined according to reel stop positions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a more entertaining slot game than known heretofore.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a slot game which pays according to a pay table based on reel symbol positions, and also activates special symbols on a display matrix when those special symbols appear on selected paylines on the reels.
It is another object of the present invention to award players according to a pay table when activated special symbols align in a predetermined manner.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a reel slot game and a plurality of matrices, each of which may include activated special symbols when those symbols appear on the reels.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a reel slot game and a plurality of matrices where when special symbols are aligned and activated in a predetermined manner makes eligible play of another game which may provide additional awards.
Viewed from a first vantage point a method for playing a game of chance is disclosed comprising presenting a plurality of reels on a display, the reels including a plurality of symbols depicted thereon; providing at least one payline on the reels; presenting at least one matrix, the matrix including a plurality of cells corresponding to stop positions on the reels; spinning the reels and stopping the spinning reels; determining whether a winning outcome has occurred according to the stopped reel symbol positions as compared to one or more predefined winning outcomes; activating a special symbol in each cell of the at least one matrix in a cell position corresponding to the special symbol location on the reels when a special symbol. appears on the at least one reel payline; determining whether a winning outcome has occurred according to the location of the activated special symbols on the at least one matrix; and notifying the player of a win in the event at least one winning outcome has been determined.
Viewed from another vantage point a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for playing a game of chance is disclosed, the method comprising in combination presenting a plurality of reels on a display, the reels including a plurality of symbols depicted thereon; providing at least one payline on the reels; presenting at least one matrix on the display, the matrix including a plurality of cells corresponding to stop positions on the reels; spinning the reels and stopping the spinning reels; determining whether a winning outcome has occurred according to the stopped reel symbol positions as compared to one or more predefined winning outcomes; activating a special symbol in each cell of the at least one matrix in a cell position corresponding to the special symbol location on the reels when a special symbol appears on the at least one reel payline; determining whether a winning outcome has occurred according to the location of the activated special symbols on the at least one matrix; and notifying the player of a win in the event at least one winning outcome has been determined.
Viewed from yet another vantage point a game of chance configured as a slot type game is disclosed comprising in combination a plurality of reels including a plurality of symbols displayable on the reels and at least one payline associated with the reels; at least one matrix configured to display special symbols on the matrix when teh special symbols appear on the reels; a reel spinning means for spinning the reels and stopping the spinning; an outcome determination means for determining the outcome of the game based on comparing a predefined winning outcome schedule with the stopped reel symbol locations and comparing the special symbol locations with the predefined winning outcome schedule; and notification means for notifying a player of a winning outcome.
These and other objects of the present invention will become manifest from the further descriptions and claims of the invention provided herein.